Rubber Meets The Road

"An actual meal? No, not since before the accident," she said, realizing she needed to eat.

I invited her to come with me when my crew chief picked me up. Katy told me if she was not here when I was released, she would meet us at a place called HQ.

Katy leaned down, kissed me on the cheek, and said she would see me soon. My cock twitched and I thanked it for not doing that sooner, as she walked out of my room.

Bill walked in only a few minutes later with a pep in his step and a smile on his face.

"What's got you in such a good mood, Bill?"

"I just about ran over this beautiful woman with the saddest eyes I've ever seen," he said.

"Don't worry, you will see her again in a little while," I retorted. "That's Katy Malloy. She will be meeting us for dinner and you will be on your best behavior."

The nurse walked in with my discharge paperwork and my prescriptions. For some reason, I needed to assure the nurse that Katy would never be harmed when she was with me. She smiled a knowing smile and exited just as fast as she came in.

I told Bill he needed to get me out of here. Bill looked a little confused but brushed off whatever was on his mind.

On our way to the hotel I told Bill to tell me what happened with the sidecar race.

"It was crazy, Kyle! This bike came up over the hill and caught major air. It looked like the passenger made a mistake and was repositioning when they hit it. The passenger didn't have a hold and lifted right out of the platform. There was a small left curve right there so when the bike caught the pavement it veered left, leaving him in the air at one-hundred-thirty. His inertia took him straight into the wall and slammed his body into it. The rider flipped the bike, probably not expecting the change in weight distribution. It was one of the craziest wrecks I have ever seen. The rider walked away with barely a scratch, but I heard the passenger died at the hospital."

So there it was in a nutshell. A freak accident from one little mistake had caused the death of Will. Katy was probably feeling responsible for his death.

"That was Katy," I said.

"Who?"

"The woman you tried to run over at the hospital. She is meeting us for dinner."

"Oh, damn," was all Bill could sputter out.

"Like I said, your best behavior Bill."

********************

I found out HQ was derived from its past use as a HQ during the Second World War. A set of historical prints gives it a hint of its past and the locals love it.

Katy didn't strike me as someone who would not show up if she said she would. I watched the door like a kid waiting for Santa to come down the chimney.

She may have been a half hour late but all was forgiven as she walked through the door. Incredible, stunning, glamorous, and a number of other adjectives could easily describe her. Most guys and even some of the ladies gave her the once over. Some never stopped gawking as Katy made her way to our table.

Katy's knee length, silky black dress flowed freely as she floated her way to our table. I don't know the brand name of the pumps she was wearing, but they had these incredibly sexy wraparound ankle straps that only seemed to accentuate her toned calves.

Bill and I stood up as she approached our table. I greeted her with a warm smile and reached out to hug her.

Katy squeezed me tight and a small "ugh" escaped my lips when my ribs didn't agree. She gave me a light peck on the cheek and I introduced her to Bill.

Bill extended his hand as did Katy. "You, my dear, look ravishing," Bill said as he kissed her hand.

We all sat down and proceeded to look through the menu. Within a few seconds, Katy set her menu down.

"What do you recommend, Katy?" I said.

"All the fish is fresh and delicious. The steak is wonderful, and half of what it would cost at some of the other restaurants in town. I don't think I've ever had a bad meal here."

"Steak it is!" I bellowed, trying to keep the evening light. Katy smiled but I could tell she was having a hard time. I'm sure she had many memories of eating here with Will.

"Hi, Katy," the waitress said. "What can I get for you tonight?"

Katy order the Halibut, Bill and I ordered the Manx Steak. All of our meals came with chips and fresh veggies. None of us ordered alcohol, but I was tempted to have a merlot with my steak.

While we waited for our food, there was some uncomfortable silence. Bill didn't help by talking about how bad of shape my bike was in.

I decided to address the elephant in the room and asked about the funeral arrangements. Katy had that withdrawn look people get when facing situations like this.

"Katy, if you would like some help organizing the funeral, I would be honored ...."

"I am sorry, Kyle, it's my duty to make all the arrangements. I killed him and now I have to bury him," she said, with the strength of ten men, making an obvious attempt to not cry.

I reached for her hand and held it gently. "Katy, you did not kill him. It was a terrible accident that took his life. He made one small mistake at the wrong time. It's not anyone's fault, it just is."

Bill chimed in with, "There was nothing you could have done. You were riding a great race! However, you did do something the previous day that was heroic. You saved Kyle's life!"

Katy stared at me, and appeared to be trying to process our statements. I'm not sure if she was looking for a fault in my logic so she could continue to blame herself, or if she knew but didn't want to hear it.

"I know you are right, Kyle," Katy said in a solemn voice. "I have nobody. I'm numb and so lost, I don't know what to do."

"Let me help you, Katy, that's what you can do. I will be here for you no matter what happens. You became part of my family when you saved me, Katy."

I was hoping she would let me help. Nobody should have to feel so alone when dealing with a death in the family.

The resignation was written all over Katy's angelic face. She needed my help to get through this time in her life.

"Kyle, whatever help you can provide, I will accept."

"Let's try to enjoy our meal," I said. "I haven't had a real meal in three days and it has been two for you." I tried again to lighten the mood.

"Excuse me gentlemen, I need the ladies' room."

Bill and I both stood as Katy made a hasty retreat.

We sat down and looked at each other as if to say, now what?I told Bill what I had in mind and he agreed to set it up. He asked me if I was going to consult Katy. I explained to him that she was in no frame of mind to set up a proper funeral.

Katy returned just as our meals were being set down. We chit chatted while we ate, mostly about the town, places of interest, and people she and Will were close to.

I couldn't help but think about what her life was going to be like without Will. I imagined Katy throwing herself into her work at the hospital while never really dealing with her feelings.

I shook that off and formed another plan, one that I could live with. I know that sounds selfish but I would take it slow.

I rushed into a relationship once before and vowed I would never do that again. I wasted a year of my life with a woman I never really knew, before our train wreck of a breakup.

After dinner, I told Katy I would take her home. Her objections, I quickly overcame. I told Bill that we would meet up at the hotel.

********************

I drove Katy's truck to a modest home, only a few minutes away from HQ. The landscaping was well taken care of, but the paint was peeling and the roof definitely needed some work. If the outside was any indication of the condition of the house, I knew where I would be spending much of my time in the near future.

The inside of the house was quaint and warm. There were pictures of her dad and uncle hanging on the wall as we entered. Above the fireplace hung a family portrait with her dad, uncle, Will, and herself at the podium when her dad won the race ten years ago.

I asked Katy if I could see what she had caught of my crash. She had a serious camera that caught every frame perfectly in focus.

A knock on the door startled Katy. She may not have been expecting anyone but people tend to just drop by when they know you are grieving.

I sat on the couch and continued to go through the pictures. I heard what sounded like a loudmouth in a bar. I couldn't believe the guy was blatantly hitting on her and asking her out on a date.

After a couple of minutes of Katy declining his generous offers, she said goodbye. Katy returned and sat next to me. I wasn't going to bring up the conversation unless she wanted to talk about it.

"James is such an asshole! His supposed best friend just passed away, and here he is trying to get in my pants."

"I could have stripped down and walked up behind you. Do you think that would have deterred him?" I asked playfully.

Katy's lips curved upward at the image I presented her. It made me wonder what she thought of me romantically.

I dismissed the thoughts going through my head and found a couple of pictures I wanted for myself. I asked her to email me the pictures, which she did within a couple of minutes of using her laptop.

She poured us some tea and we sat in silence. The deafening sound could not have hurt my ears any worse.

I broke the silence with a sore subject. "Katy, I'm not sure what you had in mind for Will's funeral, but I am working on having a procession over the entire track. I see your truck pulling a trailer, carrying his coffin and taking one final tribute lap. I know many of the riders will want to share their condolences and this is a good way to show it. What do you think?"

I really didn't want to overstep my bounds and I already had Bill contacting people to get it setup. My hope was that she would see it as a great way to send Will off.

Katy's eyes misted and I could see the fight in her, trying not to cry. "It's ok to cry Katy, in fact it's good for you. It's not good to keep your feelings bottled up. People grieve in their own ways, if crying is the way you express your feelings, it's a good thing."

I scooted towards Katy on the comfy, over stuffed couch and took her hand. Looking into those expressive blue eyes, with a pool of tears at the ready, was like witnessing a dam ready to overflow.

Being careful not to put pressure on my ribs, I wrapped my arms around her as if I would never let her go. Katy fell into my grasp as a wounded child would cling to her mother, and cried. I had no plans to mother Katy, but right now I would be whatever she needed me to be.

She soaked my chest with what seemed like a gallon of tears, honestly, I wouldn't have cared if she had tried to drown me. I held on to her, even after she made several attempts to pull away. I wasn't sure if I was comforting her or myself.

When Katy pulled away again, I reluctantly released my hold. I handed Katy her cup and a tissue.

"You can send me the bill from your dry cleaner," she said as she dabbed her eyes. "I don't know if all that mascara is going to come out." Katy was trying to make a joke. I saw progress!

The doorbell rang and startled us both. Katy wiped her delicate face and went to answer the door. A neighbor was stopping by with food and condolences. Katy accepted the platter.

I knew there would be plenty more people stopping by. There was no way all the food being brought over would get consumed. I called Bill and told him to empty our coolers. They only had beer and water in them anyway, so it wouldn't be too much of a hassle. I told him to ask around to see if he could round up even more. We would need quite a few if we were going to save the food. I really hate wasting good food.

Over the next few hours, people continued to show up at her door. Bill and a couple of other guys finally showed up with the coolers. Katy was getting a worried look about her as each person brought food and desserts. She saw the coolers being unloaded and you could literally see the stress evaporate.

"I got this Katy, there's no need to worry about anything." I said, as I went to help with the coolers.

Katy held the door as we delivered the coolers to her kitchen. A drunken James had returned by the sound coming from outside, and I knew it was about to get ugly.

I acted as though I hadn't heard anything and made my way next to Katy, ignoring James completely. I kissed her on the cheek and hung my arm around her shoulder. "It's ok, my love, all the food will be saved for the funeral."

Katy smirked, knowing what I was doing, and went along with it. "You just want to get naughty again, that's why you're helping! Admit it Kyle, you just want to take advantage of me in my vulnerable state."

"Yes indeed, silly lady, nothing would please me more!"

"Take me whenever you want, stud! You know I wouldn't deny myself the pleasure you give me." Katy sounded convincing, almost too convincing!

"Oh, sorry, who is your friend?" I said casually, while watching James attempt to pick his jaw up from the floor. He was making that face that fish do when they are pulled out of the water.

"This is James. He was Will's 'best' friend."

I reached out to shake his hand and saw fire burn behind his eyes. Bill and the guys had just exited the front door when James telegraphed his intentions.

Bill grabbed his arm in mid-swing, and I felt Katy tense up.

"Whoa, Son, you're liable to get hurt like that," said Bill.

James was about my size, but in his alcohol induced state, he must have thought he was Hercules. He tried to push past Bill while he started calling me all sorts of profane names.

"I suggest you go sleep it off before you do something you are going to regret," Bill said, while twisting his arm around his back and escorting him to the edge of the property.

"This isn't over!" James shouted as he staggered away from the house.

"I've never seen James like that," Katy whispered in my ear.

"Hopefully, we won't see him like that again."

I asked Katy to make sure the food was put away properly. I didn't want it to spoil if the guys just tossed it all in there and it would give me a chance to talk with Bill.

Bill had almost everything setup for the funeral and I thanked him. He told me that we could expect up to 300 or more guests.

I expressed my concern to Bill about James's statement as he left. I asked him to get one of our guys to follow him and to let me know if James was up to no good. He told me he would put Marco on it so if I got a call from him, be ready to move. If shit was going to happen, I wanted a heads up.

******************

The bright yellows, oranges, and reds, danced in the sky through the swaying clouds as they signaled the day turning to night. Sitting on the porch with such an amazing woman, with the view before me, felt like utopia. I pulled out my cell phone and snapped off a few pics to remember the night by.

Katy was quiet. The look in her eyes made me think she was replaying her accident in her head.

I never did get an answer from Katy about the funeral arrangements. I broke our tranquil silence to bring her back to the present.

"It will get easier Katy, I promise you. We were distracted earlier with all of your friends stopping by, and James too. What did you think of my idea for Will's funeral?"

"I'm sure he would love nothing more than another lap around the track. Will loved racing, just like the rest of my family. I wish we would have thought of that for my dad and uncle."

She switched gears abruptly and continued, "So, I guess our dog and pony show was pretty good, considering the rave review we received from James."

"I was convinced! I wasn't sure you would play along but I figured if James thought you were spoken for, he might back off."

"Who said I was playing? I haven't been attached to anyone in the past seven years."

I was watching her facial expressions, body language, and listened to what she said. As much as I was enjoying our flirting, I wanted to be sure of her intentions.

I explained to Katy that I was here first and foremost as her friend. I would never try to take advantage of her when she was so vulnerable. I think she knew that, but I wanted to hear it.

"But don't you ever tell me I can take you whenever I want again, unless you mean it. You'd be surprised how much of your life might be spent enjoying each other's bodies, or the places we might spend some of that time." I was serious, but I ended my rant with a twist of my mustache and an evil laugh.

Katy punched me lightly in my ribs. When I winced in pain, she apologized. She folded her arms around my body and thanked me.

I suggested we wrap it up for the night. Katy looked unsure, or hesitant, as my phone began to ring.

"Shit!" I mumbled. I instructed Katy to pack a bag quickly for the night. I didn't mean to scare her but the urgency in my voice had to have come across strongly.

"What's going on Marco? Well, fuck! How much time do we have? Sure, we can be out of here in a few minutes. Setup a room on the North side. Yes, text me when it's set and let Bill know where we will be. Thanks Marco, I owe you!"

By the end of my conversation with Marco, Katy was by my side with a small duffle bag in one hand and her purse in the other.

Marco told me James had spent the last couple hours drinking hard at a local pub. He overheard James talking to anyone that would listen. Thank God Marco was one of those that did.

"Let's go!" she said, without any hesitation, and a huge smile plastered across her face.

It made me wonder if Katy might have thought I was going to leave her alone tonight. Maybe she was worried she would be alone. I was planning to ask her if I could sleep on that big fluffy couch but my plans changed rapidly.

Katy and I jumped in her truck. She tossed her bag and purse in the back seat and we were rolling. Marco sent me the information on our room. We had a twenty minute drive ahead of us.

"I hope you don't mind me snoring, Marco said it was the only room he could find on short notice," I mentioned nonchalantly, hoping it would lighten the situation.

Katy countered, "You'll be lucky if I let you sleep at all!"

I had a huge dilemma on my hands. My scruples were being challenged in my head. I had honestly developed feelings for Katy in a short period of time. Would I risk ruining what could possibly be a great relationship by satisfying my carnal urges? I had to stay strong and use my big head, ignoring the little one. Could she be testing me? Would having sex with her ruin what we have built so far?

I gave Katy a look, trying to convey my apprehension about moving too fast. I doubt that came across as I intended with Katy keeping her eyes on the road.

We pulled into our accommodations for the night after a short but quiet ride. I couldn't help glancing at Katy more times than I could count all the way there.

Checking in was sort of comical when the clerk called us Mr. and Mrs. Hobbs. The shade of crimson Katy turned was more than entertaining. When I pulled her into me and kissed her on the lips to complete the image of husband and wife, she played her part, but I could tell she was nervous.

We made our way to the elevator without a word. Once inside the elevator, I was half expecting Katy to rip into to me for kissing her like that. What Katy did was snuggle up to me.

The lone king-sized bed stood menacingly in the room, as we both stared at it upon our entrance to our humble abode.

I thanked technology as my phone began to ring.

"What's up Bill? Yes, we just checked in. It only has one bed, I thought they always came with two. I know you always make the reservations. Marco did say it was the only room they had. I will figure it out. He did what? No shit, huh? Anything damaged? Yes, I will let her know. Are the arrangements set? Perfect! Thanks for your help Bill. I will call you by noon tomorrow. Ok. No. Shut up man! All right, cool, goodnight."